Typical ophthalmic lens are such that they have either high magnification and a relatively limited field of view or they have a wide field of view and a low magnification. Depending upon the particular use of the ophthalmic lens, one or the other of these types of ophthalmic lenses is chosen. One known ophthalmic lens as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,813 includes a contact lens formed of polymethylmethacrylate and an aspheric lens formed of glass. The aspheric lens and contact lens are supported in a housing with a fixed spacing between the lenses. This ophthalmic lens forms a real image of the patient's fundus in air. Another known ophthalmic lens includes three elements, a contact lens and two elements cemented together to form an image lens wherein the lenses are all formed of glass. This ophthalmic lens is such that a real image of the fundus is formed inside the image lens. Moreover, the image lens provides all of the optical power in this ophthalmic lens for magnification of the fundus. As such, the image lens is very thick, being on the order of 1.25 inches. This ophthalmic lens provides a relatively wide field of view but low magnification. Heretofore, a wide field of view and high magnification were thought to be mutually exclusive attributes of an ophthalmic lens.
Because a number of diseases, such as AIDS, can be transmitted by contact with the eye, it is critically important that the ophthalmic lens be sterilized before each use. As such, in all of the known ophthalmic lenses, including. those described above, the housing or holder for the lenses is made of a metal capable of withstanding the high temperatures of autoclaving without degradation. Because of the housing material and the use of glass aspheric lenses, known ophthalmic lenses are extremely costly.